yodasplash

Have my surgery in 8 days, and was thinking about what I want my end result to be. Started wondering, "How does one decide what their goal weight should be?" I'm 5'10", my HW was 380 and I currently weigh 352lbs., so my BMI is just a shade over 50. A "normal" BMI for me would put me at between 129 and 174 pounds. I can't envision myself at 200 lbs. much less BELOW 175 lbs. Is BMI a realistic measuring stick? At this point, I would rather measure my success by how I feel, and my general health. But if I had to pick a number, I would say my goal is between 200 and 220. I'll be ecstatic when I get under 300 lbs, and elated when I've lost 100 lbs. But my real wins aren't going to be measured by a scale, rather they will be doing things that weren't possible at 350+ lbs. Like teaching my daughter to ride a bike, riding a roller-coaster, water-skiing and dare I say, RUNNING a 5k or longer. What are your thoughts?

Does your Dr. allow for broths or leafy greens? My nutritionist said I'm allowed to have up to 4 lbs. of leafy greens. I don't think I've eaten that much salad in my entire life. I struggle with the constant sweetness of the shakes, but I've found that a beef or chicken broth, or a couple dill pickles (basically "healthy" salty options) helps reset my brain. The saltiness of the broth helps combat the "tired of sweet" feeling. The same with the pickles, only they have the bonus of giving me something to chew on. sugar-free gum also gives me something to chew on, which helps. Hang in there, from what others have said, this is the worst part..

I found some called "Beverly Hills Weight Loss & Wellness" Meal Replacements at a local health food store. They are better than anything else I've tried, including the unjury stuff. Unfortunately, this shop is the only place I've been able to find them, you might see if they could ship some to you. Here is their website: http://www.healthy-weight-supermarket.com.

Pickles, and sugar-free chewing gum are what helps me through the tough moments. I have surgery on the 31st also, and am about 10 lbs from the goal my Dr. set for surgery day. Just try to stay busy.

I haven't had the surgery yet. Date is set for March 31st. But I'm willing to keep in touch.

I'm having surgery on the 31st. My HW was 381, and I'm currently down to 358. Trying to get to < 345 by my surgery date. My only advice (which is what I tell myself each day) is to keep following the program. Eat what you are supposed, drink your Water, and exercise.

Think about why you had the surgery in the first place. That's your motivation. You've lost almost 2 lbs a week, and are 30 pounds closer to your goal than you were at Thanksgiving. Muscle is more dense than fat, so maybe your body is just changing. Don't get hung up on the numbers on the scale. In fact, don't even look at a scale for two weeks. Follow your diet, drink lots of Water, and go exercise. Track everything that passes through your lips. Search through these forums for NSV's (Non Scale Victories). Sometimes we get wrapped up in the numbers on the scale, and forget to look at little things, like pants feeling looser, or hugs that reach all the way around. Just my two cents... Hope it helps

First off, I'm not a doctor, and I would advise talking to one before you change anything you are currently doing. But I don't think carbs have a big effect on muscle growth. Carbs just convert to sugar, and thus are used as energy or converted into fat (stored energy). Toning/building muscle is going to depend more on your Protein intake.

My diet program includes a week of replacing two meals with the Protein shakes, and having one meal around 300 calories. I'm curious what worked best for people in regards to when to eat the "real" meal? Did you eat your "real" meal for Breakfast, lunch or dinner/supper? I'm typically a breakfast person, hungry as soon as my eyes open. However, I'm not a big fan of sweets in the morning, doughnuts (while yummy) don't work for a full breakfast for me. My problem is that the shakes I've tried all tend to be on the sweet side, so I'm a little leery of starting my day that way.

Just scheduled my surgery for the 31st of March with Dr. Ortiz @ OCC!

I've had a CPAP since 2008, and can honestly say that I can't sleep without it. I recommend that when you first get it, wear it during the evening while watching TV or reading. That helped me get used to it when I first got it. I would also recommend getting two different masks (I have bought the on amazon before). I used to have the nasal pillows and 10 months of the year, I preferred them. But in the winter my nose would get raw from blowing it, and the nasal pillows would irritate it even more. So I would switch to a mask that covered my nose and didn't sit in the same spot. As for feeling sexy, if it bothers you, just don't put it on until the lights are off. Or have fun with it. My wife LOVES (***sarcasm***) the sexy talk in a Darth Vader voice. The improvement in sleep definitely off-sets all the other worries.